Recipes

Pork and plums are a time-honored pairing. In this recipe late-season plums and spices are simmered into a flavorful chutney to accompany lean pork tenderloin. The simple chutney does double duty as a glaze and a sauce. It is also delicious with poultry and can be used to perk up crackers and cheese.

Spring sunshine invites you to linger over a weekend breakfast. Here is a nutritious and delicious update on a pancake recipe, which doubles as a waffle recipe. It can even be made gluten-free (see Tip). Sweet potatoes contribute sweetness and a rich flavor, as well as valuable nutrients and fiber, to a basic pancake batter. Any time you turn on the oven to bake sweet potatoes, bake a few extra to spruce up your breakfast pancakes

Cooking fish and vegetables together in a foil packet on the grill is an excellent technique for healthy outdoor cooking. Because the food is cooked by the steam, which develops in the packet, you dont have to be concerned about potentially harmful carcinogens and Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs; see March, 2010 issue of the Newsletter) that form when food is charred on a grill. Whats more, this cooking method delivers lots of flavor with a minimum of fat, and cleanup is a breeze. It is also a great way to incorporate colorful vegetables into your entre. In this months recipe, a savory Asian glaze enhances richly-flavored salmon. Round out this simple meal with brown rice or quinoa.

Pork tenderloin is lean, tender and easy to cook. Here it is paired with seasonal pears, which develop an exceptionally rich flavor when roasted. If you accompany this dish with 1/2 cup whole grain, such as barley, brown rice or bulgur, plus 1/2 cup green beans, and cap off the meal with 1/2 cup grapes, youll have an elegant autumn menu that weighs in at less than 500 calories per serving.

Celebrate the bounty of summers glorious berries! Treat your guests to this impressive but simple dessert. With its creamy custard made with yogurt, this fruity torte is reminiscent of cheesecake-but it has fewer than half the calories and a fraction of the fat of a typical cheesecake recipe. You can substitute frozen berries for fresh or use a mixture of fresh and frozen berries, depending on whats in season.

Its hard to beat pasta for a quick, satisfying meal. And these days you can find many excellent varieties of nutty-tasting whole-grain pasta in your supermarket (but check the label carefully-see story on page 6). It is easy to incorporate lots of vegetables in a pasta dish because they cook seamlessly alongside the pasta. In this recipe, two cancer-fighting brassicas (see the June 2008 Healthletter), cauliflower and broccoli, add bulk, so you can have a satisfying portion without piling on calories. Plus, you get three servings of vegetables in a portion! Dont balk when you notice anchovy in the ingredient list. You wont taste it, but it delivers a rich dimension of flavor to the simple sauce.

This reader favorite is perfect for making a big batch, then reheating in the microwave for later breakfasts.

We all look forward to a Thanksgiving feast, but may be wary about all the unhealthy temptations. Turkey is one of the leaner meats, however. As long as you watch your portion size, avoid the skin, defeat the drippings thoroughly and fill your plate with vegetables, there is no reason why your Thanksgiving dinner can't be truly healthy meal!

September is prime time for the vegetable harvest. This hearty Mediterranean vegetable and bean soup is an ideal way to take advantage of overflow produce from your garden or a trip to the farmers market. It is also an easy and delicious way to incorporate the principles of the Mediterranean diet into your daily fare. This vegetable-rich soup recipe gets off to a flavorful start with a sofrito, a mixture of aromatic vegetables, garlic and herbs sauted in olive oil. Mashed beans give this soup body and a finishing swirl of fresh basil sauce brings it to life. If you dont want to bother making the Basil- Garlic Sauce, top each serving with a sprinkling of chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.

Potato salad is a summertime classic, but not exactly what the doctor ordered for your joint health. Swap your mayonnaise-laden white potato salad for this colorful and healthful recipe, which features sweet potatoes, a lively citrus dressing, and vitamin-rich spinach. The sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene and vitamin C, which promote joint health, and even the seasonings have nutritional benefits. Ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties, while cinnamon helps control blood sugar. If you have leftovers, just heat in the microwave to warm the sweet potatoes and wilt the spinach for an appealing side dish.